The Strength
by Mimic Teruyo
Summary: Patchouli's rare excursion into the world outside the library results in the unlikeliest scenario of all: a magician engaging in physical exercise.


The forest near Scarlet Devil Mansion basked in morning light, the sun lending the brittle auburn and yellow leaves on the ground a golden hue.

Patchouli wrapped her tartan cloak more tightly around herself as the cool air nipped at her skin. For all that characters in novels waxed rhapsody about fresh autumn breeze, the few times she had experienced it personally had left her cold.

Every once in a few years, she would feel a brief inclination to leave the comforts of indoors and visit the treacherous world outside. It was an obligation more than it was a pleasure; a verification that the great outdoors bore some resemblance to the worlds within books. Thus, she performed her excursions as solemnly as any other duty.

She had made some concessions to leisure, all the same: three of Remilia's fairy maids followed her down the dirt path, each with a burden. The first carried a spare blanket, the second additional books to the one Patchouli had tucked underneath her arm and intended to peruse after she found a suitable spot for her outing. The last maid carried a hefty picnic basket, her hands trembling from the weight.

Patchouli sniffed at the air and grimaced. There was always a smell of rot hanging around in autumn, the only season she ever experienced voluntarily: there was no pollen to aggravate her asthma like in spring and summer, but also none of the withering frost of winter. As little as she cared for nature, if she ever had to pick one, the season of red leaves always won.

If only it could smell nicer.

She sighed and looked ahead for a good place to stop. Her legs had began to tire. The brief walks in the surroundings of Scarlet Devil Mansion, on surfaces so different from the polished wood and luxurious carpets of the library, tended to take their toll on her sooner than later. it was about time she spread out the blanket and spend the rest of the afternoon firmly wrapped in warm clothes and sipping tea as she engrossed herself in her reading.

"Haah!"

Patchouli blinked and turned her head rapidly enough for whiplash. Rubbing her pained neck, she squinted, trying to make out the source of the sudden sound.

"Haah!"

The distant figure of Meiling vanished back behind some trees as as soon Patchouli spotted it.

Patchouli left the path and gingerly approached a clearing, the fairies following with worried looks on their faces. Soon enough, she again caught sight of Meiling, standing with her legs wide, hands in front of her in a defensive position, slowly bouncing up and down between trees. Her eyes were shut in deep was no opponent, so Patchouli surmised she was sparring with her shadow.

As she looked on, Meiling inhaled deeply and opened her eyes, revealing a fiery, intense gaze that was as unusual as it was becoming of her.

"Haah!" Shifting her momentum, Meiling punched forward at a staggering speed, her hand barely visible as is moved. As soon as she pulled her fist back, she punched the air again, then again several times in succession, each punch accompanied by a new yell.

"Haaa..." she shifted her momentum once more, "Yiah!" She leapt into a flying spin kick, and flew through the air with cat-like grace.

Her sequence done, Meiling walked away from her landing spot, rubbing her neck. She looked up with a faint smile on her lips.

Her eyes met Patchouli's.

"Lady Patchouli!" She immediately stood to attention and saluted Patchouli. Her hair gleamed like copper where the rays of the sun touched it.

Patchouli nodded curtly, dismissing Meiling's salute with a lazy wave. "Sparring today, than?"

Meiling's shoulders relaxed, and the smile that had disappeared from her face returned. "Yes, Lady Patchouli. It is important to train regularly, to keep your skills honed even when they are not finding use otherwise." She turned away from Patchouli and released a flurry of punches in the air, air swishing. She turned back towards Patchouli, beaming like the sun. "Like so, Lady Patchouli. I try to get at least six hours of exercise in every week, whenever I have a day or or afternoon off. Work hard, exercise hard."

"Nap hard," Patchouli added with a wan smile.

Whether Meiling understood the jab or not, she nodded earnestly. "Yes, Lady Patchouli. Getting enough rest in during your training regime is very important."

"Yes." Patchouli examined her fingernails. "No wonder the maids find you leaning into the mansion walls fast asleep on a regular basis, then.

Meiling's cheeks flushed a little as one of the fairy maids giggled. "I-indeed."

Patchouli tilted her head. Better change the subject in hopes of the hapless gatekeeper would stop stammering. "Have you been training for long today?"

Meiling wiped sweat off her brow. "For half an hour, now. I still have another hour's worth to do."

"Half an hour? And you are not tired yet?" The miracles of stamina.

Meiling smiled again. "I will be by the time I finish, since I'm doing the full regiment today."

"You look awfully happy about it."

Meiling averted her eyes with a wan smile. "Well, it feels good. Nothing beats being able to wring your muscles and feel them grow."

"So, you _like_ exercising?" Patchouli had read about this phenomenon, of people who genuinely enjoyed exerting themselves physically, even if she herself had never experienced any pleasure in it. Naturally, she had assumed Meiling must have been doing something to keep up her physique, but never had she dreamed that it was something the gatekeeper found pleasurable.

"Yes, Lady Patchouli." Meiling's face lit up like a lamp. "In fact, if it's not imprudent, perhaps you would allow me to teach you one of the simpler sequences?" She waved her hands. "Nothing that would compromise your health, of course! Just something light that you might find it enjoyable, too."

It was ridiculous, to the point where Patchouli couldn't stop her lips from curling into a wry smile. A lesson in martial arts? A fat lot of good that would do. Physical violence would never serve her better than magic, and even supposedly light exercise would no doubt leave her sweaty and weary.

Still, when she looked up at the smile on Meiling's face and saw her nod encouragingly, the refusal already on her lips melted away. The gatekeeper was making a sincere effort to be friendly, and even if Patchouli didn't agree with her methods of doing so, she didn't wish to discourage her.

As she reconsidered the proposition, all the while eyeing Meiling's guileless expression, the thought of exercising together managed to sound just appealing enough. Why not, indeed? She had nothing to lose but some sweat.

"Very well." She shed her cloak and dropped it to her side. The fairy maids carrying the blanket hurried to pick it up, and once she was close enough, Patchouli handed her the book, too. "How about you show how to kick the way you did just now, as well?"

The way Meiling beamed put the sun to shame. "Oh course! Please, follow my lead!"

Patchouli took her position next to Meiling, doing her best to mimic Meiling's stance and wishing there wasn't an audience, even one as inconsequential as the maids.

"First, we must make a fist." Meiling nodded as Patchouli did just that. "Very good, Lady Patchouli. Only, perhaps you ought to move your fingers a little." She reached towards Patchouli and hesitated. "May I?"

"By all means."

Meiling nodded again, then carefully placed one hand underneath Patchouli's to support it. Using her free hand, she gently unfurled Patchouli's fist, and rearranged it so that her thumb was no longer inside of it. "Just like that, Lady Patchouli. This way, your thumb won't break if you hit someone."

Patchouli sighed. The day she would actually need to punch someone was the day the sun exploded, but she didn't bother saying it out loud. "What comes next?"

Meiling returned to her previous position, with one foot forward, one of her fists raised up, and another by her hip. "Please copy what I'm doing."

Patchouli did her best to mimic the gatekeeper. It felt strange to stand in such a wide position, posing almost like a real martial artist.

Meiling looked over at her and nodded. "Almost like that, Lady Patchouli. You just need to watch where you place your weight." She demonstrated what she meant by bopping up and down on her feet. "You need to place your balance equally between your legs, and have enough spring to be able to move quickly. Like this! Haa!" Meiling moved forward and slammed her fist forward, with such speed Patchouli wasn't sure how she had done it.

When Meiling saw the apprehension in Patchouli's eyes, she returned to her previous position. "I'm sorry, Lady Patchouli. I should have explained it first. So, you bring your right fist upwards," she did so, and Patchouli copied it, "and then bring your fist forward at the same time as you step forward. Ha!" She demonstrated again, returning to her lightning speed.

Patchouli gave the air a half-hearted punch, then frowned. "Is it necessary to cry out while attacking?"

Meiling smiled sheepishly. "It helps, but you don't have to if you don't feel like it, Lady Patchouli."

"Right." Patchouli inhaled and focused. She had no illusions about her physical condition anyone could tell it was abysmal. However, she did like to believe she had at least some coordination skill. Now was the time to prove it.

She brought her fist up, and while she could only do it at the fraction of the speed Meiling had done it at, she stepped forward and punched the air.

Meiling nodded gravely. "Yes, almost like that, Lady Patchouli. Only, you need to watch out your balance so that you don't waver. Like this." She punched forward several times in rapid progression, moving back and forth so fast it almost seemed like she too was capable of stopping time.

Again, Patchouli did her best to emulate her, and as she waded through the air and punched forward, she felt she was doing some progress.

"Very good, Lady Patchouli!" Meiling cheered. "Now, we just repeat the set of moves to perfect it." She continued with the punch move, releasing a loud: "Ha!" with every lunge forward.

The word "set" sent alarm bells ringing in Patchouli's head, but regardless she kept punching. The move was both difficult and boring to perform accurately, and even as she kept doing it she wondered how anyone could muster the willpower to keep at it to reach Meiling's level.

She soon broke into sweat, moving as she did, and her breathing grew ragged. She cursed herself for agreeing to such horseplay, Meiling's feelings aside. Magicians were not build for the physical world.

And yet...even as she wanted to stop, she kept punching. The way she could feel her heart thrumming in her ears and feel the rush of coursing blood through her body was alien, but not unpleasant. She doubted she would ever repeat this experiment, but this one time, it wasn't wholly repellent.

"Three more!" Meiling cried out. "Ha! Ha Ha! Hiii-yah!" After the final punch, she raised her right foot in the air and delivered a sidewards kick at the.

Coaxed by adrenaline, Patchouli decided to copy her. She raised her foot, wobbling, wondering how on earth Meiling had managed to remain so steady on one foot. Nevertheless, she feebly attempted the kick, but the further change in weight was too much for her equilibrium, and she toppled onto the ground, landing firmly and painfully on her bottom.

One of the maids tittered, and she momentarily considered some kind of a transmogrifying spell to inflict on the brat.

"Lady Patchouli!" Meiling immediately stopped her own sequence and rushed to Patchouli's aid. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She was a bit sore, but the only thing damaged was her pride. He harboured no illusions of being some kind of a physical powerhouse, but to lose her standing doing such a simple move...blood rose to her cheeks.

A hand reached out for her, and she looked up at Meiling, who smiling gently. "Here, Lady Patchouli. Let me help you up."

Patchouli accepted the hand gingerly, and was immediately pulled back to her feet with such strength she half expected her arm to pop straight out of its socket. She gasped, but just as the pain turned to agony, it was gone, leaving Patchouli standing upright with an aching shoulder.

Meiling must have heard her cry, as all colour drained from her face. "Are you sure you're alright, Lady Patchouli? You look really pale."

No doubt as pale as Meiling did, Patchouli thought, but instead replied: "I am fine, yes. It is simply that..." Meiling looked at her like a dog looks at its master when it wants a treat. Patchouli decided to give Meiling what she thought she wanted: an honest compliment. "You are very strong."

Meiling looked away and chuckled bashfully, scratching the back of her head. "Hardly, Lady Patchouli. I mean, I do try, but I will never be truly strong. Just look at the oni! Imagine if I tried to arm wrestle with one of the devas? They'd crush my arm into powder!"

"I suppose."

"Unlike you, Lady Patchouli!" Was Patchouli imagining it, or was there genuine admiration in Meiling's voice? "You're the best magician in Gensokyo, right?"

Patchouli frowned. "I am not."

Meiling visibly wavered. "You're not?"

"There is no exact consensus over who is the 'best' since it cannot be objectively measured, but there are too many skilled magicians in Gensokyo for me to style myself the best." Patchouli's brow furrowed deeper in thought. "Honestly, it's possible that once Marisa Kirisame becomes a genuine magician, she is more powerful than any of us. Depending on exactly how she accomplishes her goal, that it." An image of Marisa grinning cheekily while escaping through a window flitted across her mind. How many more books would Patchouli lose that way?

Meiling floundered. "Well, Lady Patchouli, you know when I said that..." Her face visibly brightened. "But! You can definitely say that you're at the top, Lady Patchouli! Even if you're not literally the best, no-one can ignore you if they plan to make a list of the remarkable magicians in Gensokyo!"

"I suppose." Patchouli dismissed the compliment as coolly as politeness allowed. No doubt Meiling was simply trying to make her feel better about her pratfall, but it was pointless and slightly irritating. Her ego wasn't so frail as to crumble from the least slight.

"I mean it, Lady Patchouli! Not only are you powerful, but you are diligent, too!" Meiling's cheeks were red with enthusiasm, all propriety forgotten. "I could never do what you do, study so hard day after day. I don't have the brain for it." She poked the side of her head with her index finger. "But you do! So be proud, Lady Patchouli!"

Patchouli gave Meiling a long look. She half expected to see some hidden purpose or jealousy reflected back at her, but everything on Meiling's countenance radiated good-natured admiration and honesty. Perhaps she was a tad out of line.

This woman who moved like a tengu and struck like an oni was genuinely complimenting her?

"Thank you, Meiling. That is kind of you." Patchouli tried keep her voice cool and her gaze level. She paused. "I believe I have had enough exercise for today, if that is fine by you."

"Of course, Lady Patchouli." Meiling's shoulders slumped a little. "I didn't mean to push you. I'm sorry."

"Not at all. I should be thanking you for the new experience, rather." She glanced at the maids, who had stayed admirably still throughout. She tried to discern from their expressions which one had laughed at her, but only half-heartedly; it had been a minor annoyance, and really, what else could she have expected from fairies?

"Of course, Lady Patchouli." Meiling saluted her. "Have a pleasant day."

Patchouli nodded and was already making her way back towards the path when she paused to think. "Actually, would you mind if I remained here? I'd rather not over-exert myself."

"Of course! You can stay here, and I'll go find another spot for training! It's no problem!" Meiling saluted her again.

"You don't have to leave. In fact, I would prefer you to stay."

Meiling blinked rapidly "Won't I disturb your studying?"

"Shouldn't I rather ask whether I disturb your practice?"

Meiling blushed. "You will not disturb me at all, Lady Patchouli! Please, sit wherever you please."

Patchouli smiled. "Then I shall remain here." She snapped her fingers and the maids sprung into action, spreading the blanket over the leaves and placing the books and basket on it.

After the maids were done and moved away, she sat down, sprawled into a half reclining position and looked up at Meiling. "Please, carry on as if I weren't here."

Meiling bowed deeply, then returned to her martial arts stance. Patchouli opened her book, but didn't immediately plunge herself into the text. Now that she was no longer moving, her body began to cool down. Still, she felt no chill; it was as if someone had lit up a candle within her, a secret flame that kept her warm.

She looked on as Meiling returned to her training, smiling without being entirely sure why.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Haaai-yah!"


End file.
